Vancouver Questions, Seeking Suggestions & Itinerary Assistance

My husband and I very recently booked a trip to Vancouver next month with a cruise following. We will be spending 3 nights in Vancouver so we have 2 full days of touring/exploring. We realize it may be cool and rainy but this is my favorite type of weather and we will arrive prepared. With my limited time to plan and considering our tastes, I’ve drafted the following 2 day itinerary… and I have a few questions…I have written some of the questions in-between the other ramblings below if someone would be kind enough to answer any of these questions. There is another small list of questions at the end of this post.

We are staying at the Best Western Plus Chateau on Granville Street. We are in our mid-40s… active but not athletic. We’d like to stay busy for most of the days in Vancouver… we’ll relax in the evenings and on the ship.

Day 1 – We will be up early… we will have breakfast in the hotel and then relax on our balcony or in the hotel until around 10:30am (unless someone has an idea of something close by to visit/do this morning). We will walk < 0.5 mile to “The Igloo” on Georgia Street to take the “Tour Guys” Downtown and Waterfront Walking Tour from 11am to 12:30pm. We end at the Olympic Cauldron on Canada Place Way.

This is where I need a bit of help… we may try “Fly Over Canada” inside Canada Place if we are close. This is something my husband would enjoy! I can’t seem to find on Mapquest how far it is from the Olympic Cauldron to Canada Place? I’m thinking we are close. ?? Then, a quick lunch somewhere near Canada Place or on the waterfront that isn’t extremely expensive (less than 50 CND per person or am I being too cheap??) …an outdoor patio by the water would be perfect for a lunch, we would like Vietnamese food if really close but a pretzel & lemonade may be okay too. No sushi. We love crab legs, shark, most cooked seafood. Nothing fancy – we will be in our “hiking-type” clothes, tennis shoes, and probably rain jackets today. Any suggestions??

Next up – take the free shuttle from Canada Place to Capilano Park/Suspension Bridge. If we arrive here by 2/2:30pm we still have plenty of time because the park doesn’t close until 7pm this day. We will take the free shuttle back to our hotel to hopefully hit happy hour which is 4pm-7pm. 

Day 2 – We are taking the Granville Island Foodie Tour this morning. It starts at 10:30am . I’ve yet to figure out the best way to get to Granville Island. An Aquabus? False Creek Ferries? I look online but can’t figure out which of their stops are within walking distance from our hotel, if any? I think a ferry would be the “fun” way to go but is it practical? If so, that would be great! Would love some suggestions on this. A boat is my first choice.

Our tour is over by 12:30pm. We will probably walk around the market and buy anything we wanted to buy on the tour and did not have time to do so. Not sure what else there is to do on Granville Island that day. The Tour Guys are not offering the 1pm Granville Island tour this day – it looks like they are closed for the season by this late September date. We may simply walk and shop and explore the market inside and out.

We would really enjoy an early afternoon 1 or 2 hour kayak tour around Granville Island or near downtown Vancouver ~ even if it's chilly and a misty rain that day. I have emailed two different sites that look to still be open late September (I’ve already found one that is closed for the season by this late date) so I’m waiting for email replies as what we would really like to do is taking a guided kayak tour around the houseboats and the waterfront area. Does anyone know a kayak tour company you can recommend? If all else fails, we may just spend the majority of our day on Granville Island walking and shopping, have an early dinner at Edible Canada and then head back to our hotel for an early night but I’m open to suggestions for this afternoon if we can’t find a Kayak tour.

Other general questions:

• Anyone know of any grocery or liquor stores near our hotel? One of my favorite things to do in other countries is peruse the grocery stores – they are usually a good laugh and sometimes there are great finds in grocery stores on t-shirts, local cups, souvenirs for co-workers/friends.

• One of my husband’s favorite things is to buy a bottle of liquor for the hotel. Any recommendations where we can do this near our hotel?

• Can anyone recommend a decent Vietnamese restaurant within 10-15 min walking distance from our hotel? I would love to try a bowl of pho.

• Please don’t flame me for this…. my husband smokes. I have read that Vancouver is non-smoking inside all hotels and parks, beaches, etc. Does anyone know about restaurants? We still live in an area where all the restaurants still have a smoking section. Is this an option anywhere in Vancouver? Will there be places for him to stop and smoke outside occasionally? My husband carries e-cigs and he is also a very courteous smoker but if we are out walking and there is a place for him to have a real cigarette, this would make his day better. For the record, I hate smoking. I love him. No lectures, please.

• Has anyone noticed if Discover is accepted in Canada? We get miles on our Discover card and thus far we haven’t encountered a single place that accepts Discover! Odd, it seems.

Thanks for any suggestions or answers to my questions. I am trying to figure out what we will be doing or get a good general idea before I order some Canadian money.

Thoughts...

• not many know what the "igloo" is.... doing some Googling.... I think you are referring to the Eaton's building. However that building has been seriously renovated into Nordstrom. It will not look like an igloo when you arrive...
  http://scoutmagazine.ca/2013/04/03/vancouver-lexicon-igloo-the/
  
• Fly Over Canada is at the end of the cruise terminal (North Side). It's a 10 minute walk if you know where you are going....
  https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/49.2890592,-123.1182287/FlyOver+Canada/@49.288673,-123.115564,751m/data=!3m2!1e3!5s0x548671836a11132f:0x8744a343f2436a0e!4m9!4m8!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0xa434b3186986adc3!2m2!1d-123.1090429!2d49.2893494!3e2
  
• Pho is a great budget choice for food. However, I'll leave it to others for a restaurant suggestions.
  
• You have two grocery options near your hotel. Nesters and Choices
  https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/BEST+WESTERN+PLUS+Chateau+Granville+Hotel+%26+Suites,+Granville+Street,+Vancouver,+BC/Nesters+Market,+990+Seymour+St,+Vancouver,+BC+V6B+3L9/@49.2784204,-123.1243452,18z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x548673d44bd90c4b:0x11dfa2224e794375!2m2!1d-123.124608!2d49.2778174!1m5!1m1!1s0x548673d5ecfce959:0xbc2663d1dab60372!2m2!1d-123.1216442!2d49.2786!3e2
  https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/BEST+WESTERN+PLUS+Chateau+Granville+Hotel+%26+Suites,+Granville+Street,+Vancouver,+BC/Choices+Markets+Yaletown,+1202+Richards+St,+Vancouver,+BC+V6B,+Canada/@49.2769688,-123.1255644,18z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x548673d44bd90c4b:0x11dfa2224e794375!2m2!1d-123.124608!2d49.2778174!1m5!1m1!1s0x548673d6bcb552b3:0x96ac89e2b1c7710d!2m2!1d-123.1242935!2d49.2757332!3e2
  
• you are going to enjoy Granville Island... the public market is kinda like a grocery store with various fresh products.
  
• there are several liquor stores around your hotel. I'll let others make suggestions as I normally shop at the cheaper public liquor stores further away from your hotel.
  
• smokers are going to have a tough time in the city. Beaches and parks are no. You need to maintain a certain distance from entrance ways and bus stops. Speak to your hotel about where your husband can enjoy his vapours without getting into trouble. Otherwise, call 311 when you arrive in the city for ideas.
  http://vancouver.ca/your-government/park-board-smoking-regulation-bylaw.aspx
  
• Discover is rarely accepted in Vancouver. Even Amex is loosing it's appeal with high merchant fees. Many Pho restaurants do not take credit cards.
  

xlxo ~ Excellent!! You answered the majority of my questions ~ greatly appreciate it.

The "Igloo" is just the entrance to the Pacific Centre Mall on Georgia Street. :D It really does look like an igloo. I only know this because it's on The Tour Guys website. http://www.tourguys.ca/#!downtown-waterfront/c152

I really enjoyed 'Flying Over Canada', even though the actual 'flying' bit is only about 8 minutes.

There are several eateries along the walk from Canada Place towards Stanley Park along Coal Harbour - we ate at a pancake house (De Dutch) and it was fine for a quick stop if that's all you need. The Winter Olympic cauldron is a level up from that walkway, but you can't miss it. This was our day in that area. All the best, Tony

[YOUTUBE]a-u1IcJ6VtM[/YOUTUBE]

Hey, as far as smoking in the city goes it will be a little more looking around for a spot then he is used to, but he should be ok. The law is 6 meters or 20 feet from doors and windows, no smoking in indoor spaces, patios, and as was mentioned beaches or parks. On Granville Street he should be fine the sidewalks are very wide and even have special cigarette butt 'recycling' canisters on most blocks. He can always duck into an alley (often that's what my DH does). Keep an eye out for ash trays, some businesses are nice enough to place then at the obligatory 6 metres, for example Canada Place has a few at the very far end of the pier far away from all doors window etc...

We've taken the Tour Guys walking tours a few time as locals just for fun, they put on a great tour!

There aren't too many grocery stores in the area of your hotel. There is a large London Drugs (think Walgreens) at Granville and Georgia Street you might find some of what you're looking for there.

I am not too familiar with Kayak companies, but I often see 2 for 1 type deals on Groupon. Something worth checking out.

The Cauldron from Canada Place is about 2 city blocks. Just on the west side of the giant convention centre ;)

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

xlxo ~ Excellent!! You answered the majority of my questions ~ greatly appreciate it.

 

The "Igloo" is just the entrance to the Pacific Centre Mall on Georgia Street. :D It really does look like an igloo. I only know this because it's on The Tour Guys website. http://www.tourguys.ca/#!downtown-waterfront/c152

Interesting, I worked downtown for almost 40 years, 25 of which was in the Scotia tower across the street from Pacific Centre and never have I hear of the entrance being referred to as the "Igloo"....in fact is there is anything that Vancouver tries to distance from is .... something cold.

I will make one remark about your hotel, it is in the heart of the Entertainment District which can get quite rowdy in the wee hours of the morning when the bars and clubs let out....having been involved in a hotel close by, it is not where I would choose to stay.

If you are going to take in the Fly Over Canada production....which is excellent then there is a BC Liquor Store in Harbour Centre which is only about the 3 blocks away at the corner of Seymour and Cordova and is only slightly out of your way back to the hotel.

LUVING all the replies!! Thanks everyone. Really appreciate all the specifics. Looks like we've been able to wrap-up our two days fairly well ~ even added-in a quick stop at Bella Gelataria, hopefully.

Wanted to add some great news ~ we are booked for a 2.5 hour kayaking tour with "EcoMarine Paddlesport Centres" now! I found them on the web and then followed them on Facebook and called this morning and they booked us while I was on the phone. It is perfect because the kayak tour leaves from their Granville Island location at 2pm. What a great day this will be! If anyone is interested in joining us, this is a "private" tour that I told them they could make public (its the same price) and add 4 more kayakers if they wish. It's 2pm to 4:30pm Saturday September 26th, Rain or Shine, and 65 CND per person. The total that came out of my account this morning was $103.52 USD. I'm going to post this tour on our roll call in case anyone wants to join-in. You don't need to contact me, just call EcoMarine and ask to join the Granville Island kayak tour that day. https://www.ecomarine.com/tours/guided-tour-from-granville-island/

1-888-425-2925 (toll free from US)

and they have a local phone # on their website, too

Thanks again for the answers. I luv Cruise Critic! We are more excited about our days in Vancouver than we are our cruise. :D

If it's just Pho you're after there are quite a few small 'mom & pop' places dotted around the city, I really don't have an opinion on any being much better or worse than any others. Near enough Canada Place/Convention Center that you can grab lunch in-between Tour Guys and Cap shuttle has a very limited selection though, business rates are too high for many cheap eats outside of food courts - the only place I can think of that offers Pho would be Joyeaux (don't let the French name fool you...) on Howe, about four blocks from Canada Place. A little closer to your hotel there's also Pho Central.

I wouldn't recommend lunching right before Fly Over Canada - the reason for the ride being only 8 minutes is not lack of footage, it's the maximum safe time before mass vomiting begins in the general population! Apparently the original plan was for 10 minutes ride time, but testing proved it needed to be cut back significantly - glad I wasn't part of THAT focus group! There are many tummy-impacting drops & swoops, and a belly full of soup is the last thing I'd consider before riding...

Best Vietnamese near downtown is probably still Phnom Penh in Chinatown - Cambodian-Vietnamese menu. For anything arguably better you need to hop a bus along the Kingsway to 'little Saigon' centred around Knight Street. Number 19 is good, it runs from Stanley Park all the way through the area.

More Vietnamese food than you can shake a stick at, and due to the total lack of tourists (heck, it's even rare to see more than a handful of other white folks) pretty much all the restos appeal to locals first & foremost so the authenticity and value factors are high across the board. Hai Phong and Mui Ngo Gai are probably the best to start with iof you do make your way out there.

CAN$50pp for lunch will buy you a nice lunch ANYWHERE in the city, even our fanciest places, unless you drink more than a couple of cocktails.

I concur with PDs note re: your hotel - there's another BW plus just a little further down Granville that gets you out of Party Central (street address is Drake, but it's corner of Granville - slightly further from Canada Place, slightly closer to Granville Island so a wash overall). If you can't change your booking for whatever reason, get there early and demand a room at the back, not facing Granville - or invest in good earplugs.

I think you're still missing details from a couple of your Qs - like ferry dock locations. Both Aquabus and FCF use the same docks mostly, exceptions being only the latter goes out to the Maritime Museum and they have separate ones on and near GI. Aquabus use the foot of Hornby and behind the Public Market, while FCF are behind the Aquatic Centre between Burrard & Thurlow then dock near the Bridges resto on GI.

Going direct from your hotel, Aquabus stops are most convenient - but for some reason Google Maps have dropped their specific docks recently, only showing the shared/FCF-specific docks! You want to walk to the roundabout at the end of Hornby Street then just follow the signs to the dock.

Tourguys don't refer to the Pacific mall entrance as The Igloo. merely pointing out the resemblance, and you shouldn't either - nobody local ever calls it that so you'll just confuse anyone you ask for directions!

I think the smoking Q was already answered OK, except to note that anywhere smoking is banned e-cigarettes are too. City of Vancouver amended bylaws in 2014, rest of the province is following suit this year. Frankly you are less likely to get hassle for smoking marijuana openly than tobacco or e-cigs due to how commonly legal prescriptions can be obtained for weed.

You could also try H-Mart for browsing interesting and different grocery store shelves; T&T is even bigger, but has fewer non-food items.

Nearest liquor store is Yaletown, part of the eponymous Brewpub, next nearest is Viti, part of the Moda hotel on Seymour & Smithe. Both small - Viti is much the better of the two, and with plenty of non-lagers (I really have no idea why that's part of their name...). Closest BC Liquor store is on Pacific - it's one of the smallest but covers the basics. The next two, Bute & Harbour Center, are both much bigger but twice as far. If hubster has preferred liquor brands, price them up on BC Liquor website then see if you feel the markup in private stores is worth saving the extra walk. I'd seriously look at getting Duty Free on the way into Canada though - we have high sin taxes.

I think that takes care of the outstanding info - enjoy your trip!

Actually Martin the nearest private liquor store to the BW Chateau would be the Spirit of Howe street store in the 1200 block Granville - a little over a long block from the hotel.

The Davie and Bute store would be about the same distance as the Yaletown one and now has longer hours and is opened on Sundays.

As for the hotel - I had relatives stay there recently and they had no complaints about the hotel or area around the hotel - the bulk of the pubs/night clubs etc are located in the 800, 900 and 1000 block Granville and on weekends once pass those blocks the streets are actually quite quiet - this is written by someone who lives three blocks from the area and is usually out and around that area most weekends.

The Edge restaurant/lounge at the hotel seems to be fairly busy most nights and has a large outdoor eating area - something the BW on Drake doesn't have.

Cheers!

Dennis

Looks like we've been able to wrap-up our two days fairly well ~ even added-in a quick stop at Bella Gelataria, hopefully.

http://www.marthastewart.com/909325/visiting-la-casa-gelato-and-tasting-flavors#909325

Short cab or bus ride outside of the downtown.

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/BEST+WESTERN+PLUS+Chateau+Granville+Hotel+%26+Suites,+Granville+Street,+Vancouver,+BC/La+Casa+Gelato,+Venables+Street,+Vancouver,+BC/@49.2780014,-123.1123852,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x548673d44bd90c4b:0x11dfa2224e794375!2m2!1d-123.124608!2d49.2778174!1m5!1m1!1s0x5486716b0ebd5c7d:0x25948eb869ab17d4!2m2!1d-123.0815883!2d49.2769496!3e0

Actually Martin the nearest private liquor store to the BW Chateau would be the Spirit of Howe street store in the 1200 block Granville - a little over a long block from the hotel.

 

The Davie and Bute store would be about the same distance as the Yaletown one and now has longer hours and is opened on Sundays.

 

As for the hotel - I had relatives stay there recently and they had no complaints about the hotel or area around the hotel - the bulk of the pubs/night clubs etc are located in the 800, 900 and 1000 block Granville and on weekends once pass those blocks the streets are actually quite quiet - this is written by someone who lives three blocks from the area and is usually out and around that area most weekends.

 

The Edge restaurant/lounge at the hotel seems to be fairly busy most nights and has a large outdoor eating area - something the BW on Drake doesn't have.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

Thanks for reminding me about Spirit of Howe - I rarely pass it. Bute & Davie BC Liquor is over 30% further than Pacific though (no hill on the way back though, so perhaps preferable to someone buying a lot of booze).

I still believe the BW+ nearer you is noticeably quieter in the immediate vicinity than the Chateau. Refinery and Joseph Richard club immediately across the road on two sides plus as you say most of the other pubs & clubs a little further north, but Fritz and other late night food options on Davie to the south = hungry drunks walking right past the hotel from the whole of Party Central, plus the ones hailing cabs from the venues in the immediate vicinity.

As loud as right in the heart of the 'Granville Sh*tshow?' Of course not; but that tapering off of noise is getting better with every block south so however quiet the Chateau G might be, the Downtown is going to be even more so. Unless your legendary rooftop parties get really out of hand of course;-)

On your first day you will really enjoy the walking tour with Tour Guys - and following this definitely do the Fly Over Canada you are a short walk away when your tour finishes.

For lunch that day - there are several fast food places right there... There is a Food Court accross the street from Canada Place it is downstairs if you are looking for that type of lunch..

I think all your questions have been answered... However you should take time to visit GasTown and China Town...

Below is my list of fun things to do in Vancovuer

Info on Vancouver from a local!

My favorite must do attractions are

1) Grouse Mountain – http://www.grousemountain.com – this is a wonderful scenic mountain only about 15 mins from downtown Vancouver. Ride the airtram to the top for lots of fun activities that include a loggers show, birds of prey show, 2 movies (1 about the Vancouver area and 1 about the 2 Grizzly Bears who make their home on Grouse Mtn) ride a chair lift higher up the mountain to visit the wind turbine that generates approximately 30% of the power required for Grouse Mountain Resort and visit with 2 live Grizzly Bears. Thrill to a 2 hour Zip Line Tour. Enjoy a meal in any of the restaurants. Caveat only spend the money to go up on a clear day.

2) Capilano Suspension Bridge – http://www.capbridge.com – this is Vancouver’s oldest tourist attraction and I still enjoy visiting it! Located on Capilano Road just before you reach the Grouse Mountain parking lot. Walk across a suspension Bridge over the Capilano Gorge, wonder the trails thru the rain forest, walk thru the treetops on the new Tree Top Adventure, traverse a Cliff Top walk, visit the trading post for a huge selection of souvenirs, watch native weavers and/or carvers at work.

3) Capilano Fish Hatchery is also located on Capilano Road and is a great place to view salmon jumping up the fish ladders to get around the Cleveland Dam. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capilano_River_Regional_Park

4) Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge – http://www.lynncanyon.ca - is also located in North Vancouver and is much less touristy than Capilano but it also is not as spectacular. The bridge is slightly higher above the water but much shorter in span. Located in a Provincial Park this bridge comes with some nice hiking trails and you will find an ecology centre in the park as well as picnic tables and a food concession outlet. Should you choose to enjoy the Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge always cross the suspension bridge first and then hike down the trail to the lower (Twin Falls wooden) bridge to cross back over the Lynn Valley River and return to your car – that way you are hiking downhill rather than uphill. It is also free to visit this suspension bridge!

5) Stanley Park – http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/parks/stanley/ - is the crown jewel of Vancouver's parks. As one of North America's largest urban parks, covering over a 1000 acres and offering an abundance of activities. Enjoy the totem pole collection near the Brockton Point Light House, hiking trails, beaches, water parks for the kids (young & old), rose gardens, miniature train, petting zoo, aquarium –http://www.vanaqua.org – many view points, and several restaurants.

6) Vancouver Aquarium – http://www.vanaqua.org – is Canada’s largest aquarium and is committed to the conservation of marine life and education. Located in Stanley Park this is a fun place for the family to visit.

7) Fly Over Canada incorporates state of the art technology in an Imax theatre to show you supernatural Canada, Fly from coast to coast taking in breath stealing views of Niagara Falls, Lake Louise, The Rockies & more. Spectacular! http://www.flyovercanada.com

8) Gas Town – the location where Vancouver originated. The name is derived from a very colorful character named Gassy Jack who was one of the first settlers in the area and a salon keeper – while in Gas Town don’t miss your photo op with the statue of Gassy Jack and by the Steam Clock.

9) At the start of Gas Town is the Harbor Centre Tower http://www.vancouverlookout.com a great spot to start your tour of Vancouver with a birds eye view of the city. Either take the elevator up to the lookout level or go to the top and enjoy a meal in the revolving restaurant.

10) China Town is only about 6 blocks over from Gas Town and is the largest China Town north of San Francisco. While in China Town enjoy a visit to the Dr Sun Yat Sen Classical Gardens http://www.vancouverchinesegarden.com and also make sure you visit the world’s thinnest building it is only 6’ wide!

11) Granville Island – http://www.granvilleisland.com – is a huge public market area which not only sells fruit & veggies but you can also buy frozen fish to be shipped to your home. Many artists make this their home and you can watch them at work in their studios – making this a great place to buy unique souvenirs. The Granville Island Brewery is also located here and you can stop in for a free tour & tastes. There are theatres for live performances and many fine restaurants. A fun way to get to Granville Island is via the Aquabus – http://www.theaquabus.com

12) Burnaby Village Museum – http://www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca – is an open air museum with over 30 restored homes, shops, school, church and a 1912 carousel situated on 10 acres

13) Gulf of Georgia Cannery – http://www.gulfofgeorgiacannery.com – is a restored fishing cannery located in the historic fishing village of Steveston (part of Richmond). Here you see exhibits that showcase the history of the fishing industry in British Columbia. Once finished in the museum it is great fun to walk along the fishing docks and see the fishing boats which are selling their catch. There are also some excellent restaurants located here.

14) The Vancouver Maritime Museum located on the shore of English Bay is fun for the whole family with lots of hands on exhibits for the kid in all of us. Here to you will find the ship St Roch which the RCMP sailed from Vancouver to Halifax via the Northwest Passage and then completed the return journey in 1944. You actually get to tour this ship. http://www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com

15) Queen Elizabeth Park http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/parks/queenelizabeth The 130 acre (52 hectare) park is one of the most beautifully maintained public parks in the world. Second only to Stanley Park in annual visitations, it receives nearly 6 million people a year who marvel at its superior standard of garden plantings.

The park was originally quarried for its rock which served to build Vancouver's first roadways. In 1929 the Board proceeded to acquire the property which had become an abandoned eyesore but still served as the site for two holding reservoirs for the City's drinking water. Dedicated as a park by King George VI and his consort, Queen Elizabeth (the present Queen's mother) on their much lauded visit to Vancouver in 1939.

16) Fort Langley is the restored wooden fort built by the Hudson’s Bay Company as a trading post. It is the origin of British Columbia and was the first capital. This Fort is operated by the Federal Parks Board. http://www.fortlangley.org

17) If you are a wine lover you might want to rent a car and spend a day visiting a few of the many excellent wineries located in the Fraser Valley only about a 1 hour drive from your hotel. Almost all of the wineries offer free tastes & tours. Two of the wineries have excellent restaurants on the premises. This makes for a very fun and relaxing day. Check out the Fraser Valley Wine Association web site for a map of winery locations and a brief description of each winery http://www.fvwa.ca

18) VanDusen Botanical Garden is a scenic 55- acre garden of international renown – a living museum of plants collected from around the world and artistically displayed amidst rolling lawns, woodlands and five tranquil lakes, all in the heart of Vancouver and just 15 minutes from downtown.

Due to Vancouver’s mild climate, plants bloom at the Garden year-round. This same climate creates a unique environment where plants from varying climate regions thrive and grow – at VanDusen you will see plants from the southern hemisphere, tropical areas and the high Arctic tundra along side native species. The Elizabethan Maze (one of only six in North America) provides year-round fun.

19) UBC Botanical Garden located at the University of British Columbia covers 110 acres and includes an Alpine, Asian, Native, Food, and Japanese Gardens. http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org There is also a treetop walk which is great for “fit” explorers who are not afraid of heights – however I would not recommend it for anyone who has any mobility issues. Also these gardens are not as well maintained as I would expect a botanical garden to be!

20) Enjoy a FREE walking tour of Vancouver. The Gastown tour starts in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery and ends at the statue of Gassy Jack in Gastown. The Downtown tour starts at the Vancouver Art Gallery and ends at the Olympic Cauldron. The China Town tour starts at the Vancouver Art Gallery and ends at the Chinese memorial statue. All of these tours start at 11am. The Granville Island Tour starts at 3pm at the bus stop just at the entrance to Granville Island. Check these tours out at http://www.tourguys.ca The Tour Guys have added an afternoon walking tour of Granville Island and 2 evening tours….

21) A new addition I have just found for the FOODIES in the gang! Check out 2 companies that offer food tasting tours http://www.foodietours.ca and http://www.offtheeatentrack.ca – both offer an excellent tour http://www.foodietours.ca visit much more high end restaurants in the heart of the west end of Vancouver while http://www.offtheeatentrack.ca concentrates on more casual eateries in the historic original section of Vancouver! (Gastown)

I just enjoyed Foodietours “Guilty Pleasures Gourmet Tour” and was very impressed with the organization, quality of restaurants & refreshments, guides knowledge of foods and the eateries we were visiting as well as the area we were walking in. Felt it was excellent value for the money provided you did not spend the extra $20. For the alcohol! This company also offers a tasting tour on Granville Island Public Market and of the Vancouver Street Food Carts.

As for Off the Eaten Track - this company offers culinary tasting tours of various areas of Vancouver. This company has now expanded and offers a brunch tour and a dinner tour. I did the Railtown Urban Eats tour and it was Fabulous! This tour would blend well with the free walking tour offered by http://www.tourguys.ca … you could easily do the free walking tour and then meet up with this tour company for this tour for your lunch - the food is plentiful & wonderful you will not leave this tour hungry!

Vancouver has a bunch of hop-on hop-off buses

http://www.vancouverpinkbustours.com/

http://www.vancouvertrolley.com/tours/hop-on-hop-off

http://bigbus.ca/home/

As for the hotel - I had relatives stay there recently and they had no complaints about the hotel or area around the hotel - the bulk of the pubs/night clubs etc are located in the 800, 900 and 1000 block Granville and on weekends once pass those blocks the streets are actually quite quiet - this is written by someone who lives three blocks from the area and is usually out and around that area most weekends.

 

Dennis

UT, at your tender age I know you have had your warm milk and are in bed by 0900....except on nights the Canucks on the tube when it is 2 mugs of warm milk and 1015.:)

With all due respect, you live in that urban scene and are used of it but for someone coming from a far and not being familiar with that type of environment it can, shall we say an awakening. On threads before I have told the story of a young man who was killed outside the Roxy, this young man used to fish with us as a boy; my eldest son got into a big fight defending his pregnant wife a block or so from the BW-Chateau. You know the history of the Chateau as well as I do and I know that it is cleaned itself up a lot in recent years as has Granville St. However, that shady element is still very much present on Granville St. I for one would not take Dudette to spend a night at the BW-Chateau....the BW-Downtown gets you out of that scene. In any event, we are just about out the door for YVR then on to London. We are having lunch with Gordo at Canada House in early September and Liz and Pip have said we can use the royal carriage while visiting London...I like the part about the free parking.:D

DH and I are also headed to Vancouver for 3 days pre-cruise next month. We'll be on Celebrity Solstice for the Vancouver-Hawaii repo. Love all the tips. We'll be staying at the Sutton Place - any opinions about this for location?

We'll get in kind of late the first day (6:30ish but our bodies will think it's bedtime!). Any recommendations for a casual good meal close to our hotel after a full day of travel from MI? Prefer local restaurants to chains.

K

The Sutton is a great choice for a mid-range hotel in Downtown Vancouver. Taxi is $31 from the airport and is the preferred choice as the Canada Line subway is a significant walk.

Restaurants? Lots to choose from a half-block to the North on Robson. Joe Forte offers great seafood, but is somewhat high-end. Milestone is a "local chain" and would be alternative choice. A little further distance from your hotel is Hon's.... affordable Chinese.

• http://www.joefortes.ca/
  
• http://www.milestonesrestaurants.com/menu.php
  
• http://www.hons.ca/
  

Pre-cruise weather looks somewhat unsettled at this time...

http://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v5y/september-weather/53286

All great choices. There are two good choices right across the street from the Sutton Place as well, Joey Burrard a regional chain with local fare. Also, has the basics, burgers, steaks, chicken clubs etc... and Sala Thai, IMO isn't the best Thai in the city but is very good and is very close the hotel if your too jet lagged and hungry to venture out. ;)

http://joeyrestaurants.com/

http://www.salathai.ca

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Sala Thai was good when I was there a few years ago. I can see myself going back... some other food options that came to mind...

• The Keg chain began in Vancouver. Located on Alberni, it's a good choice for meat lovers.
  https://www.kegsteakhouse.com/locations/alberni-street-keg/
  
• Earl's is a chain that began in Edmonton, but has made Vancouver it's home. Good choice for upscale casual.
  https://earls.ca/#!/locations/robson
  

Some other tips... most eateries close around 9pm. Arriving in Vancouver at 6pm, means you will be eating around 7:30pm or later. Pay attention to last call before they close the kitchens or check the website for hours of operation. There are late night eateries.... check with the hotel.

If your pre-cruise is on Friday or Saturday night.... restaurants will be busy... some is best to make reservations.

Vancouver is a land of immigrants. In addition to Thai, there are countless cuisines, with lots of Asian choices. Stepho's is a popular location for Greek food. The Davie location had long lines each night, but I hear they have a Robson location now. Haven't been there for awhile.

A $10 cab ride from the hotel really opens up your food possibilities.

Personally I always like to get a bit of leg-stretching in after a long trip crammed on a plane - even 10 mins walking gets you onto Davie St where there are a lot of local options (e.g. Banana Leaf, a popular local Malaysian mini-chain, Fritz if you fancy trying Poutine, grab a dessert at Transylvanian Tradition). You could stand in line at Stephos - or you could avoid the queue so notorious it's local slang for something not worth waiting in line for, pay a little more, and get much better food at the almost-next-door Takis' Taverna instead...

10 mins on foot also gets you far enough along Robson to reach Forage, one of the most local of all local restos (super-seasonal locavore menu at a pretty good pricepoint for the quality); ChongQing's (local Szechuan mini-chain) Robson branch if you fancy something spicier than Hons; Cactus Club Cafe for another local 'casual fine dining' chain that IMO spanks Joey/Earl/Milestones six ways to Sunday; east instead of west along Robson brings the sitdown version of Japadog, a delightfully quirky and truly local concept.

Closer to 12 than 10 mins for some of these, but still an easy stroll with gentle slopes down to the convention centre/Canada Place area where there's another CCC with a view, a Tap & Barrel (local pub, many BC beers & wines on tap) with both a view and a huge patio, or Rogue (PNW beers, especially IPAs, and a broad menu), or Hapa Izakaya (= Japanese 'tapas pub').

Too far? You can get to Granville Street in about five minutes where there are more boring-but-they'll-feed-you pubs than you can shake a stick at. Tastier options on Granville include Shuraku (one of the better midrange Sushi places) or the Fish Shack (wide range of seafood, but the basics are the best - try the Haddock fish & chips).

In short there are dozens, even hundreds of casual restaurant choices within a half mile or so of your hotel. If you haven't had enough suggestions between this and other posts above, narrow down your likes/dislikes for us and we'll see what we can do!

Quite possibly one of the most helpful, informative threads on the site! Thank you all so very much. :D

If you are Foodies... then make time for a food tasting tour with Off The Eaten Track.ca

On my list as #21... you can do either lunch time or dinner with them - have done both and enjoyed both all local restaurants no chains with these gals.

We have the option of moving to Lonsdale Quay hotel (North Vancouver?) versus BW Plus Chateau in Granville. I have very little time to make this decision. Is this area safe? Can we take aqua buses everywhere? I would rather have a water view vs entertainment district view any day. Seeking Opinions

We have the option of moving to Lonsdale Quay hotel (North Vancouver?) versus BW Plus Chateau in Granville. I have very little time to make this decision. Is this area safe? Can we take aqua buses everywhere? I would rather have a water view vs entertainment district view any day. Seeking Opinions

Safe? Statistically even safer than downtown Vancouver (not that the latter is dangerous per se!)

Aquabus no - Seabus yes. Part of the regular transit system, so you can use Day passes/packs of FareSaver tickets. 12min crossing, frequency varies between 15 and 30mins based on time of day. $4pp base price though, as you cross a Zone boundary on the way into or back to Vancouver - but if you took the bus to Grouse or Capilano they're in your zone. Weekends & evenings all travel is one Zone for $2.75pp cash price.

There are also a few restos around the immediate area, plus Lonsdale Quay itself has a farmers market occasionally outside and a permanent indoor market with various arty-crafty-foody things.

We have the option of moving to Lonsdale Quay hotel (North Vancouver?) versus BW Plus Chateau in Granville. I have very little time to make this decision. Is this area safe? Can we take aqua buses everywhere? I would rather have a water view vs entertainment district view any day. Seeking Opinions

• Seabus ferry is a nice ride, but it's an additional segment for the 15 minute one way journey plus possible waits when you arrive at the terminal (note the frequency is 30 minutes in the evenings and on Sunday).
  
• if you go by taxi.... it's could be an additional $40 one way when I used taxi fare estimator to see the cost from the Lonsdale Hotel to the cruise terminal/downtown.